(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a pillow system which allows the user to adjust the height, or thickness, of the pillow by folding the components of the pillow. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, to a pillow formed from several sections. Each section being adapted for folding over the other section to allow the user to adjust the thickness of the pillow.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
Widely available pillows typically consist of a rectangular fabric casing that has been filled with some sort of cushion material, such as soft foam, feathers, cotton bunting and the like. While these pillows have been widely accepted for many years, they leave many important problems unresolved. One important problem is brought on by the fact that a person is likely to change positions while sleeping, and the appropriate distance for the support of the head from the surface of the mattress or sleeping surface varies with the person's position. The failure to properly support the head relative to the mattress or sleeping surface while sleeping results in problems such as strained muscles, shoulder pain, headaches, etcetera, as well as other problems associated with insufficient support.
To achieve the needed rest and skeletal support it is essential that the person's head be supported in a proper position relative to the rest of the body. The head, neck and shoulder girdle needs to remain in a relatively neutral position in order to avoid problems such as headaches, neck and shoulder problems due to muscular/skeletal malalignment. Specifically, when lying on one's side, it is very important to ensure that the head remains in-line with the spine. Moreover, if a person is lying on his side, it is also important to support the head in a position that allows the neck to remain along a line that is substantially normal to a line between the person's shoulders. Deviations from this posture will lead to disturbed sleep patterns, as well as problems associated with skeleton and muscle interaction.
Similarly, when a person sleeps on his back, the head should be supported at a position that allows the person's head to be supported at slight angle to the horizontal and at a small distance from the plane of the person's body. Again, support that allows the individual's posture to vary from this ideal positioning can lead to chronic problems.
The need for proper support of the person's head relative to the body while sleeping has long been recognized. However, known pillows and support devices have not been able to solve the problems associated with proper support of the head while sleeping. An example of known devices is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 395,043 to Doremus, where a pillow and multi-pocket slip are taught. The multi-pocket slip of the Doremus device includes pockets that have been attached to one another along a common line, so that the pockets extend from one another in a generally radial manner. The Doremus device allows the user to vary the thickness or height of the pillow below the user's head, and thus may support the user's head at a desired position relative to the plane on which the body rests. However, the Doremus device suffers from several important limitations. One important limitation is that the radial arrangement of the pockets of the case or slip permits the stacking of a limited number of pillow components. As the number of pillows or components being stacked increases, the greater the tendency that the uppermost component or pillow will remain at an angle relative to the point where the pockets are joined and the plane of support of the body. Additionally, the cushions or individual pillows used with the Doremus device can be combined in arrangements that use adjacent compartments. Therefore, if the user wishes to modify the stack combination, he would have to remove the individual pillows from the slip and rearrange them so that the desired pillows will be housed in adjacent pockets of the slip.
Additionally, the configuration of the Doremus invention is further disadvantaged in that the fill of the individual sections is likely to shift with use of the pillow. Once the fill of a particular pillow has shifted, the user must either rearrange the fill by pounding on the areas where the fill has settled or add another pillow from radial arrangement. The former solution is very disturbing to the ability to obtain proper night's sleep, while the latter offers a limited solution in that the second pillow will collapse into the cavity in the lower pillow, and the shifting of material will then begin on the second pillow.
In the art of mats, or coverings for chaise loungers and the like, artisans have approached the problems associated with the need to vary the thickness of a cushion has by attaching the cushions in series. The attachment of cushions in series has been popular in area of mats and cushions for chaise loungers due to the fact that these cushions must be capable of covering a long lounger or acting as a small mattress type pad to provide support under the entire body. Unfortunately, however, these devices provide little guidance to the artisan on how to solve the problems associated with varying the support of the head relative to the body when varying the position of the body over a planar surface such as a bed. For example U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,970 to Nappe teaches a sealed pad that includes several cushions attached in series. The Nappe invention is particularly well suited for solving the problems associated with the permanent compaction of the mat and the absorption of moisture by the mat, but giving little clue to the ordinary artisan as to how to use a set of cushions attached in series to vary the support of a person's head relative to the body.
Another cushioned mat is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,151 to Lerman. The Lerman device includes several foam pads connected in series. The Lerman pads are joined and sealed by means of a skin formed from the foam material by means of heated dies. Like the Nappe device, the Lerman device is particularly well suited for functioning as a seat cushion or a body support mat. However, the problems associated with the support of the head while sleeping are not addressed. This is probably due to the fact the field of mats or chaise cushions does not deal with the problems faced in the art of pillows, which involve orthotic considerations which are not necessarily dealt with in the field of mats or chaise cushions.
Still another known device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,610 to Geddings. The Geddings device is yet another flat mat constructed of sections joined in series. The construction of the Geddings device is similar to the construction of the device taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,851 to Alonso or U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,001 to Wilkinson. These devices are suitable for serving as mats for exercise or as cushions for chaises or the like, but, again, offer little guidance in solving the orthotic problems associated with supporting the head relative to the body during rest.
Still another device that uses cushions in series is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,087 to Alivizatos. The Alivizatos device includes several pockets that accept bead filled cushions. A significant feature of the Alivizatos device is that it combines the function of an infant support device with the functions of a carrying bag. The Alivizatos device, however, does not address the problems associated with providing proper support for the head while sleeping.
Thus, a review of known devices reveals that there remains a need for a pillow that allows variation of height of the support for the user's head relative to his body. Importantly, there remains a need for an adjustable pillow that allows the user to vary the height at which the head is supported relative to the user's body without having to dismantle the device during the night.
Still further, there remains a need for a stable pillow that allow for proper support and accommodates the natural contours of the user's anatomy to prevent muscolo/skeletal problems.
Importantly, known devices have not addressed the need for an orthotic pillow that provides proper orthopedic support and maintains alignment of the user's head, neck, and upper body shoulder and spine relationship.